12 students were selected for the 2020-2021 UF Health Cancer Center University Scholars Program.
2020-2021 Scholars

Shoba Abraham
- Major: Biochemistry
- Minor: Health Disparities
- Mentor: Walter O’Dell, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Evaluating Variability in the Measurement of Global Longitudinal Strain with Slice Orientation - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Control & Population Sciences

Jacob Best
- Major: Biology-Biotechnology
- Minor: Bioinformatics
- Mentor: Rui Xiao, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Mechanisms of longevity regulation of C. elegans - UFHCC Research Program: Mechanisms of Oncogenesis

Cayle Gao
- Major: Biochemistry
- Minor: Mathematics
- Mentor: Carma Bylund, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Doctor-patient cancer communication through telemedicine during COVID-19 - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Control & Population Sciences

Mitchell Gulkis
- Major: Biochemistry
- Minor: Music Theory
- Mentor: Jianrong Lu, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Verification of Gene Targets Determined as Vulnerabilities by a Bioinformatic Screen in EMT Cancer Cells - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Bergen Lemack
- Major: Health Science
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Sergei Kusmartsev, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Oxalate Spot Testing Insights from a Variety of Oxalate-Containing Meals - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Jason Liu
- Major: Statistics
- Minor: Philosophy
- Mentor: Ji-Hyun Lee, DrPH
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Survival Analysis of Advanced Lung Cancer Data to Identify Risk Factors - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Control & Population Sciences

Alisha Patel
- Major: Biochemistry & Anthropology
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Jonathan Licht, MD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Investigation of the Role of N6-Methyladenosine (m6A)-dependent mRNA degradation in the Dexamethasone Response - UFHCC Research Program: Mechanisms of Oncogenesis

Annika Petersen
- Major: Biology (Pre-Professional)
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Loic Deleyrolle, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Slow cycling cell RNA based T cell therapy to prevent recurrence in glioblastoma (GBM) - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Anthony Pistella
- Major: Health Science
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Chenglong Li, PhD
- College of Pharmacy
- Research Project Title:
Novel small-molecule inhibitors targeting the Hippo signaling pathway - UFHCC Research Program: Mechanisms of Oncogenesis

Manjula Somanchi
- Major: Health Science
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Catherine Flores, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Enhancing immunotherapy against solid tumors - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Ryan Willson
- Major: Biology
- Minor: Business Administration
- Mentor: Catherine Flores, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Enhancing immunotherapy against solid tumors - UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Zachary Zaroogian
- Major: Biochemistry & Music in Combination with an Outside Field
- Minor: N/A
- Mentor: Olga Guryanova, MD, PhD
- College of Medicine
- Research Project Title:
Mechanisms of Progression from Pre-Malignant Conditions to Leukemia - UFHCC Research Program: Mechanisms of Oncogenesis
10 Years — Champions of Center of Undergraduate Research
